Quick iPad question.

fiveoboy01

fiveoboy01

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Going to buy a fullsize one. In the very near future it will be accompanied by a Stratus 2.

There's no reason I need a cellular iPad, correct? The wifi one will be sufficient and give me the functionality I need with foreflight and the stratus? I don't want to buy the wrong one and regret it later....
 
Just my $ .02, so take it as that...... I have used both a wifi only and a wifi+cellular ipad. I also use a Stratus 2. Even if you never activate the cellular plan on the wifi+cellular, you always have the built in gps feature if something happens to your Stratus. If you have wifi only, you have no "location" ability with foreflight without the Stratus. I don't know if that is an issue for you, but it was a consideration for me.
 
I thought both had the internal GPS, looks like I'm wrong there. External GPS would cover the difference so it sounds like the cellular one would be the way to go here...
 
I started digging around on the iPad over the past few weeks and found this website. It may have some answers for you. I know it helped me a bit, and I don't even have an iPad...yet.

http://ipadpilotnews.com/
 
I use the I pad with both wi fi and AT&T cellular,coupled with the stratus 2 makes for a great reliable package.
 
Only the cellular iPads have the built in GPS to my knowledge. If you are getting a stratus 2 however that becomes a non-issue. The only other advantage to the cellular is you are not tied to a WiFi connection, but will then have the added monthly fees for that added service.
 
I'd recommend a cellular model, even if you never intend to activate it.

1) The built-in GPS is handy, even if you have an external GPS. You may not always want to hook it up.

2) You will be paying more up front. But when you eventually sell, you'll also get a bit more. So the actual add'l cost over time will be less than the up front differential.
 
Well the cellular mini that I currently have doesn't incur any charges unless I run out of data(it's verizon/pay as I need it with no contract).

So it looks like I'll grab the cellular one, as the extr cost will cover what I'd pay for a small external GPS receiver. I'm sure the Stratus is reliable but it never hurts to have a backup:)
 
fiveoboy01 said:
There's no reason I need a cellular iPad, correct? The wifi one will be sufficient and give me the functionality I need with foreflight and the stratus? I don't want to buy the wrong one and regret it later....
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As long as you don't want the iPad to give you position data when the Stratus is not within range (or its battery has died), yes, you are correct. However, you may still find it's worth the extra $100 to have the internal GPS, which works just fine even without activating a cellular account or turning on cellular data (no matter what those folks in the blue shirts at Best Buy may tell you).
 
Agree with the Cellular option. If you ever want it, it is a few key strokes to activate. If you get the WiFi only...you will regret it if and when you wanna activate and need the cellular data.

I had an Ipad 1 with data plan...then had to get a Mini as the first gen was not supported Foreflight. Got the cell mini but was not planning on activating the data since I was still using the Ipad 1...well, on my fist cross country with it trying to flight plan for my next leg sitting in a restaurant in the middle of nowhere and no wifi and looking at weather that was moving in, I activated that sucker to be sure I could get the info to make a good decision. Glad I had the option and haven't looked back.

As you use it more your needs will changer as well. I use a digital logbook that syncs with online version. It nice to complete my log book while sitting on the ramp where there is no wifi after my flight and sync it right then and there.
 
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I have a wifi only iPad. I used the gns Bluetooth receiver until the last iOS update. Looking to pick up the stratus soon. I figure my iPad 3rd generation has at least another year of usefulness hopefully. We have a 430 in our plane so I mainly use the iPad as a back up for that and current charts etc.

With foreflight I pack over my wifi at the house then load up again before takeoff using the tether feature on my iPhone. I flew with the iPad Saturday with no moving map just to have current charts. Functionality is limited right now for me, but it depends on what your using it for I guess.
 
I don't understand. My wifi only, has internal gps, and can tell me exactly where I am. Why would I need a cellular capable device in order to get an internal GPS?

Oh That's right, I don't have an ipad. Carry on.
 
Yes, my wifi only Samsung 7" Tablet has a built in GPS, and it shows my aircraft's location on Avare. Cheaper than an ithing, and Avare is free . . . But do what you want.
 
I have a quick question regarding the Stratus, I fly two aircraft one with a G1000 panel so no need for Stratus or IPad as far as traffic is concerned but the other aircraft has a basic panel and avionics. I'm in a comfort zone regarding traffic when I'm flying the G1000 panel aircraft, so I was intending to get a Stratus to accompany my wifi only iPad and FF for when I'm in the older aircraft, my question is will the Stratus coupled with Foreflight give me reasonable traffic monitoring ?
 
This IPAD issue has been gone over a dozen of times in recent years.
The built in GPS receiver is only on the cellular capable model.

The WiFI only model does not have a GPS receiver. It triangulates off cell towers to give you a calculated (i.e. faked) position - and soon as you leave the ground that is dead.
You do not have to buy the phone line to go with the 4G IPAD - the GPS receiver works on it's own
 
Personally, I'd spend the $$ and get the cellular even if you don't plan to use it so you at least have some backup GPS capabilities if your Stratus is down.

I did the same and found that it was worth adding it for $10/month to my phone plan so that I could connect it to 4G and check weather, etc... in remote locations where there wasn't any wifi available.
 
My mini is a cellular model and while it is normally attached to my wifi here at home, occasionally it's nice to utilize the LTE option. I don't buy much data because it's usually in my house. I just want the larger ipad with a retina display. Looks much nicer and easier to see detail.
 
Xscaliber said:
my question is will the Stratus coupled with Foreflight give me reasonable traffic monitoring ?
Click to expand...

ONLY if your aircraft ADS-B out. That is what is needed to ping the ground stations to send out the traffic information. Without ADS-B out, traffic on Foreflight/Stratus is pretty much useless. You might see occasional traffic from other ADS-B out aircraft that have pinged the system but it will not be a complete picture for your aircraft.
 
Shawn said:
ONLY if your aircraft ADS-B out. That is what is needed to ping the ground stations to send out the traffic information. Without ADS-B out, traffic on Foreflight/Stratus is pretty much useless. You might see occasional traffic from other ADS-B out aircraft that have pinged the system but it will not be a complete picture for your aircraft.
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Correct. It's patchy without adsb out. If you have adsb out you get a full picture. See attached.
 

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I use the cellular to file flightplans while I am on the ground. I can also activate and close VFR flightplans in the cockpit. Get the latest weather and NOTAMs at my hangar.
 
Shawn said:
ONLY if your aircraft ADS-B out. That is what is needed to ping the ground stations to send out the traffic information. Without ADS-B out, traffic on Foreflight/Stratus is pretty much useless. You might see occasional traffic from other ADS-B out aircraft that have pinged the system but it will not be a complete picture for your aircraft.
Click to expand...


Thank you, I'll check if the aircraft has ADS-B out before I invest in the Status :thumbsup:
 
John Collins said:
I use the cellular to file flightplans while I am on the ground. I can also activate and close VFR flightplans in the cockpit. Get the latest weather and NOTAMs at my hangar.
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If your cell phone allows WiFi hot-spotting (or you already have a hot-spot device for other uses), you can do that without paying for an additional cellular account for your iPad.
 
That was another reason I had questioned which to get, as I can use my phone for a hotspot. But I want the internal GPS, so..
 
fiveoboy01 said:
That was another reason I had questioned which to get, as I can use my phone for a hotspot. But I want the internal GPS, so..
Click to expand...
...get the cellular iPad but don't activate the service for it. That should get you everything you want, including the things John mentioned.
 
fiveoboy01 said:
Going to buy a fullsize one. In the very near future it will be accompanied by a Stratus 2.

There's no reason I need a cellular iPad, correct? The wifi one will be sufficient and give me the functionality I need with foreflight and the stratus? I don't want to buy the wrong one and regret it later....
Click to expand...
Here's the deal.

I am on my second iPad. Both have been WiFi only. For all that time I have regularly used an external GPS. It has not been a "burden" to use the external.

In terms of data use itself, when I absolutely need data on my iPad and WiFi is not available, I tether it to my phone. Even that's been pretty rare and never, so far, for the purpose of using my EFB app. Public WiFi is very available and its availability is increasing, not decreasing.

So, to me, the question is whether you want to pay for the "convenience" of the on-board GPS capability, feel the need for a constant data stream for other purposes (and if you think you'll only use it for flying, you will find out very quickly you are wrong) and whether, in the increasingly rare "pinch," you have other options.

You won't be wrong either way.
 
I always buy the cellular iPad because I do use the cellular data. If you land at some podunk airport with cheap gas and want to check weather or whatever, you'd have to hope for wifi access - and ask for passwords, etc. With cellular you almost always will have a tower available in the Lower 48 at least.

Also it gives you the option of doing all of this from within a hangar out on the field and away from wifi. On the ground the Stratus is of minimal use.

I find the incremental cost to get the cellular ipad and pay for a data subscription (which can be shared with your phone most likely) is worth the benefit of increased accessibility options.
 
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